Starting a text/tip line

[Dean Milton]

”
Good afternoon,

I have been asked to prepare a report to council on developing a text/tip line for our transit system.

I have prepared a list of questions and I am hopeful that I may be able to get some responses to the questions below.

Please cut and paste the questions and add responses in an email body to: john.sutherland@saskatoon.ca

Many thanks to all for your assistance.

John Sutherland | cell: 306.321.2661
Corporate Security Manager

Emergency Management Organization, Saskatoon Fire Department

City of Saskatoon | 222 3rd Ave. North | Saskatoon, SK S7K 0J5

John.Sutherland@saskatoon.ca

http://www.saskatoon.ca

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1. Cost to Develop and Operate
What was the total cost to develop and launch your tip line?
What are your ongoing operational and maintenance costs (monthly or annually)?
Were there any unexpected costs during or after development?
Did you receive any grants or outside funding for the project?
Do you feel the investment and ongoing return is worth the cost to develop and maintain the TIP line
2. Development and Stakeholders
Which departments or teams were involved in developing the tip line (e.g., IT, legal, operations, marketing)?
Did you partner with any third-party vendors or consultants? If so, who?
What was the development timeline from concept to launch?
How did you determine the scope and features of the tip line (e.g., SMS only, app integration, multimedia support)?
3. Monitoring and Management
Who monitors incoming tips (e.g., internal security, dispatch, a third-party call center)?
What is the staffing model—do you monitor tips 24/7, during service hours, or some other schedule?
What technology or platform do you use to receive and manage tips?
How do you verify the credibility of tips and escalate them when needed?
Do you respond to TIPs from:
Just on the bus
Just off the bus
Both on and off the bus
4. Positive and Negative Experiences
What have been the most significant benefits or successes since launching the tip line?
What challenges or issues did you face during development and implementation?
Have you experienced any misuse or abuse of the tip line (e.g., hoaxes, spam)?
What would you do differently if you were starting over?
5. Performance and Outcomes
How many tips do you receive on average per week/month?
Have tips led to any major incidents being prevented or resolved?
How do you measure the effectiveness of the tip line?
Have you made any changes or upgrades since launch based on feedback or data”

0

Discussion